Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Ed Perlmutter drops out of Governor's race, other candidates react

Representative Ed Perlmutter, who currently represents Colorado's Seventh Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, won't be seeking the Governorship after all. He said he would about three months ago, but now that the Democratic field has gotten quite crowded, the Congressman told media at a Tuesday press conference that the demands of running a campaign "is more than I can give." He also won't be seeking re-election to Congress, meaning more political jockeying will come to the liberal-leaning Denver Metro area in the lead-up to the 2018 midterm election.

An experienced and prominent politician, Perlmutter's front-runner status was complicated when his colleague in House, Rep. Jared Polis from Colorado's 2nd, entered the race last month. Polis, a millionaire from Boulder, has the ability to self-fund a campaign and, arguably, more cred with the party's progressive wing. He released this statement after Perlmutter dropped out: "My friend Ed Perlmutter has always been a tireless champion for working families. I want to thank him for his amazing dedication to Colorado and his candidacy for governor. As a trusted and effective colleague, I look forward to continuing our work together for the remainder of the congressional session."

Another Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former state treasurer Cary Kennedy, had this to say: "Congressman Perlmutter has been fighting for Coloradans for decades. I hope we continue to see his leadership in Colorado on whatever path he chooses. I wish him and his family the very best and will miss seeing him on the campaign trail."

In addition to Kennedy and Polis, former state legislator Mike Johnston and businessman Noel Ginsberg are seeking the Democratic nomination for the chance to replace term-limited John Hickenlooper. On the Republican side, 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler, Mitt Romney's nephew Doug Robinson and former state legislator Victor Mitchell are competing.